Batting

Chestnut Hill, Mass. – Junior Macayla Kirylo (Pawtucket, RI) hit a pair of home runs and senior starting pitcher Tia Nelson (Rockport, MA) recorded a pair of victories, 6-5 and 10-1 (5 innings), to help lead Pine Manor to a sweep of a Saturday afternoon softball doubleheader over the University of Maine a Presque Isle (UMPI). The pair of wins improves the Gators' overall record to 4-6 on the season, while the Owls drop to 2-12.

In game one, the Gators grabbed the early lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a pair of hits and a UMPI error that helped PMC earn a 3-0 advantage. Freshman Sybil Lynch (Hoboken, NJ) reached base to lead-off the inning after being hit by a pitch. Classmate Vanessa Soto (Fontana, CA) then followed with a single to centerfield to advance Lynch to second before Kirylo worked a walk to load the bases with no one out.

Two of the three runners would then find their way home by the end of the inning. Nelson earned a fielder's choice-RBI, grounding a ball to short that scored Lynch, before Chardonai Rose (Fairfield, CA) reached base on an error by the pitcher while also driving in another run. With one away, Kaylyn Delgado (Worcester, MA) delivered a base hit to left field to score Nelson before UMPI retired the next two batters to limit the damage to 3-0.

In the top of the third, the Owls put together their own three-run inning to tie the score. Centerfielder Ashley Laking (Lambert Lake, ME) reached base on an error to start of the inning, before right fielder Jessica Campbell (Lisbon, ME) delivered a triple down the right field line to score Laking and leave herself in scoring position. However, a heads up play from Nelson on a comebacker to the pitchers circle would cut down Campbell while allowing Kellie Peers (Casewell, ME) to reach first on a fielder's choice.

Taylor Cochran (Topsfield, ME) then reached base thanks to a single before both runners advanced to scoring position on a ground out to second base. With two away in the inning, UMPI freshman Megan Hannigan (Houlton, ME) drove in a pair of runs with a two-RBI single to right-centerfield to tie the score at 3-3.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Gators picked up two quick outs, but then got two runs back- the first coming on Kirylo's first home run of the day, a line drive over the centerfield wall. Nelson then followed with a single to right field before heading home on an RBI-double from Rose.

Presque Isle manufactured a run in the bottom of the inning to stay within striking distance, as Hannigan scored on an RBI single from Brittany Leutjen (Hampden, ME) to make the score 5-4.

In the bottom of the inning, the Gators took advantage of a leadoff triple from Delgado, as Betzy Maysonet (Boston, MA) picked up an RBI on a groundout to give PMC a 6-4 advantage heading into the seventh inning.

Trailing 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning, the Owls were only able to manage one run as Peers made her way around to score after reaching base on a single to left. However, with Cochran standing on second, Hannigan struck out to end the threat and give PMC the hard-fought 6-5 victory.

Game two was much different than the back-and-forth battle in game one. Pine Manor once again jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning but the Gators didn't relent for the remainder of the contest, scoring four runs in the second, one in the third and two in the fourth to end the game in five innings with a 10-1 victory.

Kirylo recorded her second home run of the day with a solo shot in the third inning, while Nelson went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored to power the Gators. Junior Natasha Kopystynsky (Johnsburg, IL) also delivered a pair of RBIs for the Gators despite not recording a hit in the contest. Nelson also recorded her second victory of the day in the circle and with the pair of wins on the day improved to 4-4 on the season.

UMPI will now head across town to Fisher College to play their third game of the day this evening at 7:00 PM. They will also take on the Falcons in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon. The Gators will close out a busy weekend tomorrow when they travel to The College of New Rochelle (NY) to take on the Blue Angels in a 1:00 PM doubleheader.